The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-06-30
DEADLETTER OFFICE.
!. entertaining Account OF It's
Business Methods.


hm old age," is the way that MIR.
brry. the Chief Clerk of the Dead
Letter Office, designates the two classes
ito which all mail matter that comes
|bthe Office is divided. That classifica-
ien was made. however, in the course
dconyersation with a Star reporter.
utterances more stately lam
! mage is used, aud when Mr.. Baird, the
nperintendent. pens his annual report
| h divides all mail matter that is
hndled by the Office into unmailable
natter and unclaimed. or dead matter
proper. Matter belonging to both
classes may be regarded as dead as soon
sit sent to the Dead-Letter Office,
bat owing to the improved methods
sdopted and the skill and ingenuity of
hose engaged in the work, death, in q
large proportion Of cases, proves to be
aly comatose condition. case of
gneope, which skillful application of
rssoratives overcomes. The letter
then goes forward with renewed vigor
% its destination. The unmailable
matter, or that which dies from inad-
yertence on the part of the sender, is
iAst which is held for postage, which
has illegible, incorrect, or insufficient
addresses, or where the matter is placed
n the mails contrary to the postal laws
and regulations, as, for instance, de-
structive matter and obscene matter.
Now, the other class, or dead matter
proper, is such matter as, having
reached the Office of distribution, is
either unclaimed or refused by the party
addressed, or which, from its nature,
Or because OF indefinite or Fictitious
address, can not be delivered. The
elasslication above referred to is made
amer the matter reaches the Dead-Let-
H Ohice, where it comes every day in
ereatsacks from all parts of the country.
Inc sacks are shot up stars by an
''evator into great hall with a lofty
sslllng running through two stories.
,as noor Of this hall is covered with
aesks' long tables and sacks, full and
'npy. There is a busy corps of
''e'ks' some armed with sharp, glitter
y knives and others bending over
sugefs A wide gallery runs around
s nall, supported by spiral columns,
ad dark green curtain above the
,0l = railing shuts off from view the
'slks occupying the gallery, who are
Mostly ladies. The sacks come pilinp
!. Z aad each days mail brings over 49,
y letters and packages the year
seund. One hundred and four pairs
0f1sk hands seize upon this mass Of
aa1erlal, and in a short time it is ar
aaged. classified and the records made
= % tnat all that enters the Office can
2 accounted for.
- aaere were over 5000, 900 pieces Of
- matter received at the Office last
g an increase Of about five per cent.
.sl mat received during the previous
.a1 VI this number over 1000, 900
'sees - az, are dead matter, pure and simple,
'ssNoeV y being ordinary unclaimed
me letters find their way to the
;,;asa !sasls desk which is a long table
',Isu sas INTO compartments by low
O00en partitions, and before each Of
!. compartments sits clerk. There
J seven openers at present. Their
i su'ess Is to open letters. To read a
- ssss y not only against the regula-
n i = 'ne ofhce, but against the law.
=. : aay long they are obliged to sit
- tarusting their long-pointed knife
! ~ = INTO one corner Of the envelope
) aen ripping it open, remove the
assnn fold it with the envelope, and
3 - s = N = pile on their desks, and
= s. g on the next But there are no
~ .sase as that desk. They are all men
..s ~ 0la men at that. Staid, sober,
i gong men, fathers of families,
!. atrarchs in the church. For it is
: !. Aaene the temptations of curiosity
nave to be encountered at the
,sssl : desk. II that were all,
- s.asn would, no doubt have been ad-
n. a Q 'ne fraternity long before this.